HYway is a new EU-funded research project that brings together hydrogen experts from 12 institutions across Europe. The project aims to provide key information to policy makers and stakeholders on both the risks and climate benefits of large-scale hydrogen use.
Large knowledge gaps on the indirect climate impact of hydrogen use
David Wårlind is a climate researcher at the Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Sciences, and a member of the strategic research areas MERGE and BECC. He says that although the great advantage of hydrogen is that it is not a greenhouse gas with a direct climate impact, its indirect climate impact can be significant:
– Hydrogen affects methane, ozone and water in the atmosphere. For example, hydrogen extends the lifetime of methane gas, which is a powerful greenhouse gas with a major impact on the climate. As more hydrogen is used in our economy, it is important that we understand its indirect climate impacts.
Hydrogen is also an extremely volatile gas, making the risk of leakage high. To minimise the volume of hydrogen that reaches the atmosphere, the project will identify where leaks may occur. For example, by creating future scenarios for different types of uses for hydrogen, how the hydrogen will be transported and stored, and where in the chain there is a risk of leakage. In this way, the industry can work preventative with these risks.
Climate modelling important for understanding soil uptake of hydrogen
Hydrogen is partly diminished through chemical reactions in the atmosphere, but is mainly removed by soil microorganisms consuming, or ‘eating’, hydrogen molecules. David Wårlind, whose research is largely conducted using climate modelling, will have a role in the project investigating soil uptake of hydrogen.
Climate models allow researchers to simulate the chemistry of the atmosphere and how different gases, such as hydrogen and methane, interact. Climate modellers rarely use just one model, but several that focus on different parts of the climate system. David Wårlind explains:
– There are large uncertainties about the global soil sink of hydrogen. By using a range of climate models and running many ensembles, we can reduce these uncertainties. At the same time, we are spreading the science to more institutions as different climate models are run by different organisations.
Of potential significance for many stakeholders
As the large-scale use of hydrogen and its impact on the climate is a relatively unexplored topic, while more and more industries see hydrogen as an important part of the transition towards climate neutrality, the project already has many stakeholders:
– At the moment, interest is mainly from the energy sector, led by companies such as Shell and Statkraft. The aerospace industry has also expressed interest, with Airbus and Bauhaus Luftfahrt among those involved in the project. In Sweden, we also see potential stakeholders in areas such as green steel and, of course, our results from the climate models will be part of the reporting to the IPCC, says David Wårlind.
There are also other challenges with hydrogen that are not covered by the HYway project. Not least, the production of hydrogen by electrolysis is energy intensive. The energy used for electrolysis will therefore also affect how climate-friendly the hydrogen is. In HYway, however, the research only starts after the hydrogen has been produced.
More information about HYway
The project is coordinated by the Norwegian CICERO Centre for International Climate Research and runs from 2024 to 2028. Stay updated on the project through its channels:
- Website: HYway - hywayhorizon.eu
- X: x.com/HywayHorizon
- LinkedIn: HYway Horizon Europe project: | LinkedIn
